
Meghan Patrick Takes The Crown At CMAO Awards
Meghan Patrick was the big winner at the 5th annual Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAO) Awards, held at Centennial Hall in London last night.
The singer from Bowmanville, ON, took home four trophies, Album, Female Artist, Music Video, and Rising Star of the Year.
Co-writers Deric Ruttan and Craig Wiseman shared the Songwriter of the Year win for the penning of "Came Here to Forget" - the song turned #1 hit by Blake Shelton. Cold Creek County walked away with the Group of the Year award while label (Open Road) and tour mates Tim Hicks and River Town Saints each claimed wins for Male Artist and Single respectively. The coveted Fans' Choice award, made possible by the OMDC through the Ontario Music Fund, was presented to James Barker Band who recently completed the Dean Brody Beautiful Freakshow Tour.
Hosted by Jason McCoy, the awards show included a guest appearance by Canadian chart topper Aaron Pritchett as well as performances by the main winners, as well as Jason Blaine, Jessica Mitchell, The Abrams, Genevieve Fisher, and The Western Swing Authority. All performers joined onstage to close out the evening with a rendition of "Hasn't Hit Me Yet" in tribute to 2017 CMAOntario Impact Award recipients Blue Rodeo.
Accolades were bestowed among 16 categories spanning talent and industry, all made possible through the support of Slaight Music, the show's presenting sponsor, Ontario Media Development Corporation and Tourism London.
The 2017 Awards capped off a four-day weekend of CMAOntario RoundUp events that featured the fourth edition of the CMAOntario R2I (Road to Independence) TuneUp Conference, the New Faces Showcase and Concert, a charity softball game, and the CMAOntario Legacy Show.
Here is the complete list of 2017 CMAOntario award winners:
SINGLE OF THE YEAR (sponsored by KICX 106)
"Cherry Bomb" - River Town Saints
ALBUM OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario & International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)
Grace and Grit - Meghan Patrick
SONGWRITER (S) OF THE YEAR (sponsored by SOCAN)
Deric Ruttan, Craig Wiseman - "Came Here to Forget" performed by Blake Shelton
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Meghan Patrick
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Havelock Country Jamboree)
Tim Hicks
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR (sponsored by The Remington Group)
Cold Creek County
ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Skelton Truck Lines)
The Abrams
RISING STAR AWARD (sponsored by Slaight Music)
Meghan Patrick
FANS' CHOICE (sponsored by Ontario Media Development Corporation)
James Barker Band
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Long & McQuade)
"Bow Chicka Wow Wow" - Meghan Patrick
RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Jason Barry (Dean Brody, Genevieve Fisher, The Western Swing Authority, Tianna Woods)
INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Seeds & Co.)
Steve Coady, Warner Music Canada
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET)
CJBX-FM (BX 93), London
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET) (sponsored by Lucknow's Music in the Fields)
CHCQ-FM (Cool 100.1 FM), Belleville
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET)
CICX-FM (KICX 106), Orillia
IMPACT AWARD
Blue Rodeo